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What does a home study update look like?

A home study update is sort of an abstract idea if you are not familiar with adoption and the home study process. So, our initial home study was 100% soup to nuts (almost) every detail of our life. We had to share about ourselves – our strengths, weaknesses, our families, how we were raised, our infertility, our views on adoption, what we envisioned our family looking like, etc. We had to verify that our house was insured, our cars were insured, that we were healthy, that we financially capable of raising a child, that our home was safe, that our pets were vaccinated, etc. We also had to take several classes on adoption, trauma, and point of views of the child and birth parents.

Every state and every agency requires something different yet something similar. While we have always been able to adopt in any of the 50 states, we are dotting every possible “I” and crossing every possible “T” with our national agency. That way, if we get a quick match/placement, we can act quickly. Below is a everything we have to gather for our agency.

We had to redo our background checks, physicals, and references, and we will have to update it every year until we finalize an adoption. Those three are some of the more time consuming, since they aren’t things we have stored away like our pet’s rabies certificates. American Adoptions also requires a video and information for a new profile. We’ve been gathering papers and checking items off our list, and we can finally see the light at the end of tunnel. We are hoping to be active and ready to adopt through American Adoptions in May.

Thank you to everyone who has been a reference in one way or another this year and in the past. We find asking for references difficult. It’s not that we have a shortage of people willing to vouch for us, but we know it takes a lot of time to be a reference. But, know that you helped us build our family!

Chris & Jessica

Chris and Jessica are a sweet-tea-sipping, laughing-addicted, animal-obsessed couple who reside in the countryside of Virginia. They're pursuing domestic infant adoption and can’t wait to become a family of 3 or 4. Will you be part of their journey?